The bigger, whiter and more conservative the church, the more likely its members are to believe and share conspiracy theories, according to a new survey by LifeWay. “Christian churches resolve to be places focused on the truth,” said Scott McConnell,…
United States still excels at religious freedom, but the rest of the world suffers, international expert says in BNG webinar
Government restrictions on in-person church gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic have been inconvenient, disruptive and possibly even illegal in some instances, but they are not examples of religious persecution as some American faith leaders have claimed, an expert on global…
Voices of freedom continue to speak from Colonial Williamsburg church
Americans have a long way to go to fully embrace freedom of religion and expression given the challenges of recent years, decades and even centuries, according to a panel discussion hosted online this month by Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia. “A…
Effort to end death penalty in Virginia gaining momentum; prayer vigils planned
Organizers of a faith-based campaign to abolish the death penalty in Virginia say current signs of favorable legislative momentum are due, at least in part, to pressure being applied by churches and other religious communities. And their hope is that…
This church was online before online was essential, and they’ve got some lessons to share
The suddenness of the coronavirus outbreak last year caught a lot of churches unprepared for a sudden transition to virtual worship and other gatherings. The Faith Community, a Cooperative Baptist Fellowship church plant in Atlanta, wasn’t one of them. The…
D.C.-area churches seek to offer calm amid a tumultuous January
Inauguration Januarys typically raise the stress levels of clergy serving churches in Washington, D.C., local ministers say. But the addition of a pandemic, a brutal election cycle and the Jan. 6 storming of Capitol Hill by Donald Trump supporters sent…
Fellowship Southwest becomes independent, ecumenical ministry
Fellowship Southwest, founded by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship in 2017 and known for its outreach to immigrants along the U.S.-Mexico border, has spun off from its Atlanta-based parent to become an independent, ecumenical ministry. “Fellowship Southwest is incorporated now in…
In New York City, serving the homeless offered a clue for how to serve trauma victims during the pandemic
Serving homeless people, as well as victims of domestic violence and other forms of trauma, is challenging anywhere. But the difficulty multiplies in New York City, Lesley-Ann Hix Tommey has learned. “In New York, everything is happening on such a…
American Protestants less open to sermons on race in 2020, survey finds
A growing number of American churchgoers weren’t in the mood for sermons on race in 2020, the year that police killings of unarmed African Americans energized the Black Lives Matter movement and sparked widespread social unrest, according to a newly…
Seminarian, CBF and Georgia church find fellowship together
Seminarian Wallace Montgomery III is brand new to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and to the moderate Baptist movement — things he didn’t even know existed until last spring. But the 35-year-old Arkansas native already is planting roots in CBF life….
Barna advice to pastors: Talk honestly about emotions and relationships
The pastoral skills and mental health of clergy were pushed to the limits in 2020, and the first few weeks of 2021 may be doing much of the same. Recent research shows that leading congregations through the traumatic events like…
Q&A with Michael McMahon of the Hymn Society of North America
The Hymn Society has had its work cut out for it in the COVID-19 pandemic, trying to help music ministers, choirs, composers and others adjust to virtual worship. But 2021 is likely to be challenging, too, said J. Michael McMahon,…